This invention relates to a vehicle, device and method for loading a vehicle. More specifically, but not exclusively, this invention relates to a mobility scooter, device and method for loading a mobility scooter into a larger vehicle.
Mobility scooters are typically used by the elderly and infirm as a mode of transport. They axe usually powered by an electric motor and a battery, and therefore have a range limited by the power output of the motor and the capacity of the battery. The mobility scooter design is therefore a compromise between the weight and size of the scooter, and its potential range. The range of many mobility scooters is such that only local trips from the user's home are viable.
If the user wants to take his/her mobility scooter to a destination which is outside the range of the mobility scooter, then he/she must transport the mobility scooter to the destination. As mobility scooter users are often elderly or infirm, the process of transporting the mobility scooter is problematic. One prior art device for solving this problem is a ramp.
An example of a ramp 110 of the prior art is shown in FIG. 1. The ramp 110 includes two angled platforms 112, which extend from the rear of the vehicle to the ground such that a mobility scooter may drive up the angled platforms 112 into the rear of the vehicle.
There are problems with the ramp 110. The ramp 110 can be dangerous to use, as the angled platforms 112 must be aligned carefully for the mobility scooter to drive up safely. If the angled platforms 112 are misaligned, or if the angled platforms 112 slide off the rear of the vehicle, then the mobility scooter may fall to the ground, potentially causing serious damage to the mobility scooter and injury to the elderly or infirm person.
The ramps 110 are large to reduce the angle of the angled platforms 112. The size of the ramp 110 can therefore be difficult and cumbersome for the elderly or infirm to use, and can take up a lot of space inside the vehicle when not in use and stored in the vehicle.
Furthermore, as it is prohibited for the elderly or infirm person to ride the mobility scooter up the angled platforms 112, the person must stand to one side of the angled platforms 112 and operate the mobility scooter's accelerator. This is a difficult and dangerous operation, particularly as mobility scooters may accelerate very quickly when unloaded. Also, the mobility scooter may drive off the ramp if the steer angle is off-centre.
Clearly, the ramp was not an appropriate solution. Therefore, alternatives were developed, including a lift, a hoist, and a “take-apart” scooter.
The lift 120 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The lift 120, which is similar to a “tail lift” as used on a lorry, includes a fixing member 122, a pillar 124 and a platform 126. The platform 126 may be moved along an axis of the pillar 124. The lift 120 is fixed to the rear of a vehicle by the fixing member 122, which typically includes large bolts and steel plates such that the lift 120 is secured to the chassis of the vehicle.
In use, the platform 126 is lowered to the ground along the pillar 122 (achieved by an electric motor in the pillar 122), and the mobility scooter is driven onto the platform 126. The platform 126 is then raised off the ground.
The lift 120 may be adapted such that the platform 26 is rotatable between a stowed position, such that the platform 126 is parallel with the rear of a vehicle, and a deployed position, such that the platform 126 is parallel with the ground.
There are problems associated with the lift. When the lift 120 is in the stowed position, the platform 126 blocks the rear door from opening. This can prohibit access to, for example, the boot of a car, or the hack of a van. Also, when the mobility scooter is loaded on the deployed lift 120, the mobility scooter may become very dirty and wet in adverse weather conditions (this may also damage the mobility scooter's electronics). The scooter also has a tendency to bounce off the lift 120 if it is not secured, which is obviously dangerous.
The lift 120 also affects the weight distribution of the vehicle, and makes it difficult for the driver to park it.
Another option is the hoist, illustrated in FIG. 3. The hoist 130 includes a fixing member 132, a mast 134, a boom 136, an attachment 137 and a winch 138. The winch 138 and the attachment 137 are connected through a cable 139, which runs alone the boom 136.
The hoist 130 is fixed to the interior of a vehicle via the fixing member 132, which typically includes large bolts and steel plates such that the hoist 130 is secured to a chassis of the vehicle. The attachment 137, such as a hook, is used to attach the mobility scooter to the hoist 130. The winch 138 then winds up the cable 139 such that the mobility scooter is lifted towards the boom 136.
The mobility scooter can then be moved into the vehicle. This can be achieved by having a retractable boom 136, such that the boom 136 can be retracted into the vehicle.
There are problems associated with the hoist. For example, if the vehicle is parked on a hill, then the mobility scooter will swing under gravity as it is lifted off the ground. This is obviously dangerous. Also, the hoist 130 is fixed to the inside of the vehicle, which takes up interior space. The hoist 130 can therefore decrease the boot space of a car.
There are problems associated with both the lift 120 and the hoist 130. The lift 120 and the hoist 130 use the vehicle as a counterbalance when lifting the mobility scooter. If the vehicle is small and/or light, it may experience a force when using the lift 120 or hoist 130 to move a vehicle causing the vehicle to tip. This is a health and safety risk, and can cause damage to the vehicle and/or mobility scooter.
The lift 120 and the hoist 130 are therefore normally used on larger vehicles, such as large vans or 4×4s, or when the mobility scooter is very light.
There are further problems associated with both the lift 120 and the hoist 130. The lift 120 and the hoist 130 require specialist fitting, as they normally require steel plates and large bolts to be fitted properly. This is expensive work, and requires the vehicle to be modified which reduces the second hand value of the vehicle.
Another option is a “take-apart” mobility scooter. The “take-apart” mobility scooter can be dissembled into its constituent parts, which are small enough to be lifted into a vehicle.
A first problem with the “take-apart” mobility scooter is that some of the constituent parts are heavy. For example, the part including the battery may have a mass of around 20 kg, which is very heavy for an elderly or infirm person. Furthermore, as the “take-apart” mobility scooter is designed to be as light as possible, they are relatively small and unsafe to drive, and the battery is typically smaller which reduces its range.
Furthermore, it is undesirable to spend a lot of time dissembling and assembling the “take-apart” mobility scooter outside the vehicle, for example when it is raining. It can also be difficult for some elderly or infirm people to dissemble or assemble the “take-apart” mobility scooter, for example, if they have arthritis.
All these solutions are clearly unsatisfactory. There has been a long-felt need in the industry for a device that safely and effectively loads a mobility scooter into a larger vehicle.
There are also further problems when a user of a mobility scooter wants to travel via aircraft. A user may transport their mobility scooter to the airport using one of the methods above, which is then loaded onto the plane. However, the user cannot take the adapted car or large ramps onto the aircraft with them, and so must rely on the rental car company at their destination having suitable cars and/or equipment for transporting their mobility scooter. This complication often deters mobility scooter users from international travel.
It is therefore desirable to alleviate some or all of the above problems.